I think you all know that we like challenges and this project has been a real one.This “adventure” started a few months ago. It became a “tangible” piece not long ago and it is now in the market.

Nothing can be compared to the excitement when we saw our customer’s face once the production sample was finished. It was an incredible feeling to see that we managed to make what they had in their minds. As they said… “A dream come true”…

The making of this stunning design was beautifully filmed at our leather goods sampling studio in Ubrique (Spain). We really enjoyed the experience not only for the fun but also for the fact that our customer was able to see and appreciate the passion our team put on every step of the making process of their leather bag.

Thanks to the owners of the design and brand (The SLCTD) , it is a pleasure to be able to share the video below with our followers. Hope you like it. We look forward to your comments….

The more we travel, the clearer we see that leather goods manufacturers in Spain are amongst the top three most reputed countries in leather goods manufacturing. Not long ago, we had the opportunity of visiting London on a business trip. By chance, we met a well-known Paris-based fashion stylist as we were having diner at a restaurant.

The conversation turned into leather goods manufacturing in the high-end fashion industry. It was very nice to listen to him stating that most top fashion houses look into Italy, Spain or France in order to manufacture their leather goods. It’s is very restorative and heart-warming that the hard work has produced results… Anyway, there’s space for improvement…

Lately, our Leather Goods Studio has been making a few leather goods without using any tool or machine that needs electricity to function. We are very happy with the result and so our customers are. The video below shows the initial processes of the making of a veg tanned leather flap bag. We will be posting the other steps in the following weeks.

Planning and scheduling are vital tasks in the development of an industrial activity. If we focus on the manufacturing of leather goods, planning seems to be a bit more complicated due to several factors such as sourcing of raw materials and all the peculiarities of a hand crafted product.Because of this, we must monitor every single stage in the manufacturing process in order that it can be as efficient as possible. This is the main task of the Workshop Manager. Spanish Leather Goods Manufacturers call this person ”Master”.

Clients, suppliers, manufacturers and all parties that are implied in the whole process must facilitate each other’s tasks for the mutual benefit. Realism and Pragmatism is the key here. Most of the issues that are found in the relationship between the parties have to do with due times that are not fulfilled. The analysis of the situation and a great dose of professionalism are crucialin order to avoid negative experiences to a minimum. We are all in the same boat and we must work together and try to understand the reasons behind all the demands and requests from clients, only in this way will we have sustainable businesses.

We are proud to announce Sorcha O’Raghallaigh X Betangible collaboration. We must admit that the experience has been fantastic and the result is simply spectacular. We also want to thank Design & Sampling Studio ALEP for their help.

We visited her studio in London last week and spoke with her about this collaboration. Find it below.

Betangible: Tell us about your latest collection.

Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: The main source of inspiration behind this collection is the work of artist Alfred Gilbert, in particular his memorial sculptures. I am continually drawn to things that are quite dark and moody but at the same time have a romantic aesthetic — something which Gilbert’s work possesses. I never like to draw all my inspiration from just one subject so I also looked to Victorian Harlequin outfits for some additional inspiration; I wanted the collection to have a playful side in contrast to the darker moody side.

Betangible: Why did you chose to work with leather?

Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: I really wanted to work with leather to create something which was practical, durable, good quality but that still embodied our aesthetic. A lot of the pieces we create are one of a kind; they can be very ornate and not really for everyday wear and due to the bespoke nature they are not accessible to everyone. I wanted to make something that was the opposite of all of this, however I did not want to create a watered down version of our aesthetic, I felt we could achieve all of this by creating a capsule collection of luxury leather bags.

Betangible: How did you find working with Betangible?

Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: Last season we attempted to make bags ourselves, we found the whole experience tricky and it was difficult as we had no experience in making bags before, so we were extremely happy to have the opportunity to collaborate with Betangible on the bags for the new collection. Working with Betangible was an amazing experience as we wanted to develop our original ideas for bags as well as create something new. The Betangible team were very open, patient and helpful which made the whole process feel like an education. We learnt so much through the whole experience. I feel the bags surpassed our initial vision because of the support, communication and the quality of craftsmanship that Betangible provided.

Betangible: What are your favourite features of the capsule collection of bags?

Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: Overall my favourite features are all the little details that make the bags such good quality. I love the rich colour of the blood red pony skin on the exterior and the the contrasting burgundy dyed edges, the leather lining, the quality of finish and craftsmanship is what really excites me the most.

Betangible: How do you think the capsule collection works as a whole?

Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: I love the collection as a whole as I feel that the clutches are a great continuation from last season, they have our signature of hand embellished florals. I also feel we have moved forward with the round sculptural bag, I think the collection marries well together and I feel that it is a strong representation of our aesthetic. There is a Good choice of sizes, from coin purse right up to iPad sized clutches and the round bag feels like a really special addition.

Betangible: As you’ve mentioned, your collections are usually quite ornate and couture – how did it feel to make something more practical?

Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: Really great it was so good collaborating with Betangible as I feel the object is not just practical but also beautiful, thanks to all the expert craftsmanship. I’m really excited by and proud of this collaboration.

Betangible: Why Spain?

Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: The Spanish are world renowned for their leather products and to me “made in Spain” means quality — The standard of the bags that we received were so exquisite that it makes sense why they are so renowned for their leather goods. We could not have asked for more!

Belgian fashion and accessories designer, Neils Peeraer , is a graduate of the Royal Fashion Academy in Antwerp (Belgium). His Master Collection was awarded with handbag collaboration with the renowned luxury brand Delvaux. We had the opportunity of attending his show in Antwerp on that year and featured his world on one of our posts.

Neils’ work can be described as “Simply Unique”. Not only because of his emotional approach to design itself, but also because of his master use of veg tanned leathers. All his leather goods are made using veg tanned leathers and brass hardware. A profound knowledge of the materials and the techniques are necessary to design and make the leather goods and accessories in the photos below.

The images are from Neils Peeraer’s AW13 Collection in which you can find handbags, bracelets and hats; all made out of veg tanned leather and brass snaps and rings.

Betangible and their group of leather goods manufacturers wish you Merry Christmas. We have selected some images taken in Spanish leather goods workshops and made the video below. We hope you enjoy it.

Today, we would like to show you an example of how luxury brands are fostering the idea of customisation and bespoke manufacturing . French luxury brand, Goyard , has produced a short video in which they emphasise the handcrafted aspect of their products at the same time that they focus on the idea of tailor-made products. We hope you enjoy the video.

The video below shows the artisanal work behind the making process of a Bottega Veneta hard shell clutch bag. Attention to detail and the most skilful hands are needed to make such a masterpiece. We hope you enjoy the video.